Problem Solving Courts

Problem Solving Courts

Problem-solving courts examine the issues that bring litigants into the justice system and respond with innovative approaches, including intensive judicial monitoring and the incorporation of community resources, that are designed to increase offender accountability, enhance community safety and protect the rights of all litigants while improving the outcomes of individual cases.

The Adolescent Diversion Parts are designed to improve the way the criminal justice system treats 16 and 17 year old teenagers charged with non-violent offenses in criminal court. They emphasize court outcomes designed to help these young people avoid the legal and collateral consequences associated with conviction and link them with the assistance they need to pursue law-abiding, productive futures.

A drug court involves a dramatic intervention by the court in cooperation with an entire team of specialists in social services, treatment, and criminal justice professionals in the local community. In return for a promise of a reduced sentence (or return to the home of removed children in Family Court neglect matters), appropriate non-violent addicted offenders are given the option of entering voluntarily into court-supervised treatment. The rules and conditions of participation are clearly stated in a contract entered into by the defendant, the defense attorney, the district attorney, and the court. The results have been overwhelmingly positive and drug courts have gone into operation all over the country.

Premised on the “one family-one judge” concept, IDV Courts allow a single judge to hear multiple cases involving the same family where the underlying issue is domestic violence. IDV Courts also aim to promote informed judicial decision-making, increase consistency in court orders, decrease the number of court appearances, and provide enhanced services to victims while ensuring offender accountability.

New York State’s mental health courts seek to improve public safety, court operations, and the well-being of people with mental illness by linking to court-supervised, community-based treatment defendants whose mental illness is related to their current criminal justice involvement and whose participation in the Mental Health Court will not create an increased risk to public safety.

Youthful Offender Domestic Violence Courts ("YODVCs")operate on the model of the Domestic Violence Courts and are guided by the same mission statement and key principles. YODVCs are created in jurisdictions with high caseloads to handle exclusively those domestic violence cases involving defendants aged 16 through 19.

Sex Offense Courts promote justice by providing a comprehensive approach to case resolution, increasing sex offender accountability, enhancing community safety and ensuring victim safety while protecting the rights of all litigants. The purpose and function of sex offense courts is to promote best practices in the resolution of sex offense cases and to facilitate and enhance coordination and communication among relevant stakeholders.